Team Polaris: Meet Our Racers

Cole Willford

State: ColoradoRace Sled: PRO-RMK

Cole has snowmobiled from the time he was old enough to throw a leg over a sled and take control of the bars. Mountain riding and racing were both part of his upbringing as he enjoyed traveling the races cheering for his dad in the early days of the hillclimb race circuit. Cole’s desire to compete grew stronger, and unable to compete on snowmobiles at the time, he began racing motocross and supercross. Now, Cole is a three-time Hillclimb World Champion and recently joined Chris Burandt to share his passion for the backcountry by helping clients from all over the world create a fun and memorable mountain riding experience. When not competing or guiding, Cole runs his paintless dent repair business and teaches at his local gym. He enjoys mountain biking, wakeboarding, and boating with his wife Jill, son Tanner, and daughter Peyton.

Shelley’s father and brother introduced her to racing. She began with snowcross and switched to hillclimbing when she finished high school sports. She races because there isn’t anything better than a challenging hill or some fresh powder to ride with family and friends. Snowmobiling has both helped build her character and become physically stronger. She appreciates that the RMSHA circuit is full of people who are very supportive and looks forward to climbing over the Jackson Hole Snow King Mountain. When not racing, she enjoys anything outdoors including motorbiking, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, camping and hunting. She also is a foodie who loves to cook and travel to try new foods.

Toby Shepherd

State: MontanaRace Sled: PRO-RMK

Toby began racing snocross at nine years old on a small western circuit thanks to his dad. After his dad passed away in an avalanche he stopped racing until college when he hung up his football cleats and bought his first mountain sled. He has followed in both his dad’s and grandpa’s footsteps by riding in the backcountry and racing snowmobiles as often as possible. The most influential snowmobiler in his life has been his dad, who couldn’t have set a better example for him to follow. His dad built his own mod sleds and was working on turbo sleds in 1993 and a belt drive prototype in 1996. Most of Toby’s free time is spent in the garage working on hay equipment, building mod sleds, or messing with carbon parts. He also likes to dirt bike, hunt, fish, and be in the woods. He plans to continue to hillcimb and run a business in the Big Hole Valley.

Riley started racing after an ad for the first Crazy Horse Hillclimb at Grand Targhee peaked his interest. Snowmobiling then became the main focus of his life. He changed his eating habits and spent more time training at the gym to stay in strong physical condition. Riley plans to continue racing as long as he can before settling down with a career staying in the industry. Surprisingly, he had never been to watch the Jackson Hole Hillclimbs until 2016 when he first competed there and Snow King shocked him. When not racing, Riley spends most of his time outdoor riding dirt bikes and mountain bikes and being at the lake.

Cody has been riding sleds since he was a child, but his passion truly took off when he began riding every weekend in sixth grade. At fifteen, he traveled around the Western US riding and filming with riders before racing regularly starting with the 2015 season. Snowmobiling has changed his life because of the amazing people it has introduced him to who push him to be a better rider, friend, and person. He loves the beautiful scenery that snowmobiling lets him see and also enjoys riding with his buddies because they constantly push one another. He plans to race for as long as he can. Cody enjoys the three seasons of Montana: snowmobile season, dirt bike/boating season, and hunting season. When not racing, he is a real estate broken at his father’s company Bill Bahny and Associates and co-owns a property management company.

Tanner has loved snowmobiling since he was a little boy and can’t wait for the snow to start each fall. Snowmobiling is his getaway to the backwoods, and his way of seeing things and going to places that would not be possible without a snowmobile. When he’s not in the backwoods freeriding or on the race course, he enjoys hunting for deer and elk, looking for sheds, riding dirt bikes, boating, and fixing all of the parts on his snowmobiles that he breaks when riding.

Tayler has been riding snowmobiles since three years old and grew up on the race circuit. Snowmobiling has changed her life because it has taught her the lessons of hard work, dedication, success and failure. It has also created lifelong friendships. She has always admired Raysha Nielsen, who is kind and supportive while racing. Tayler can be found playing basketball, softball, and volleyball at her high school when she’s not riding snowmobiles.

Keith was raised riding snowmobiles and motorcycles since the age of four. As he grew up, he rode with friends every weekend. Born with a competitive streak, he always wanted to be in front of the pack while riding. After his first hillcross race he was hooked. Riding in the backcountry gives him a rush like nothing else. The everyday adventure fuels his soul, and the places he is able to ride are incredible. While snowmobiling has brought out his inner athlete it has also introduced him to the most standup people in the industry. When the snow isn’t flying, he likes to dirt bike, mountain bike, hike, fish, camp, golf, and go boating or hop on a RZR to show friends and family a good time.

Erin grew up watching the Jackson Hole race and one year after watching it in person told his dad, “I think I can do this!” His dad laughed at first thinking that Erin might as well have said he wanted to go into space, but thanks to his family’s support Erin became a racer. He loves snowmobiling for the opportunities it has given him that he wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. His biggest idols are Rick Ward and Darin Gould, two of the best individuals in the sport. His future plans include continuing to work harder each year to improve his riding abilities when crawling onto a sled in the backcountry or on the race course. In his free time, Erin trains performance horses for team roping and barrel racing.

Andy's free time usually consists of something competitive or something in the mountains. He always went to the races as a kid, and finally tried it out for himself at seventeen years old. He instantly loved it and hasn't looked back since. Andy rides snowmobiles because the progression is endless and it gives him constant adrenaline. Snowmobiling has taught him to put everything he has into everything he does and to never give up. His biggest idols in the snowmobiling world are Jack Struthers, Rick Ward, and Darin Gould. They've taught him a lot and are incredible athletes. Andy's plans for the future are to keep progressing and loving what he does.

Taylor began racing in 2011 and rides because of the constant joy it brings him along with the pursuit to become a better rider each time he goes out. He believes there is always something new to learn. Racing gives him the competitive thrill he seeks and the opportunity to test his abilities against some of the best riders in the world. He is grateful for both the new people he has met through snowmobiling and all of those who have paved and continue to pave the way for the sport of snowmobiling for current and future athletes. He is pursuing a Business Finance degree at Utah State University. Taylor can frequently be found hunting, riding in the sand dunes, or hanging out at the lake.

Colton’s love for motorsports started at a very young age. He started racing JR Dragsters when he was eight and raced juniors until sixteen. He now races a 66 Nova as frequently as possible in the summer. This season marks his fourth year hillclimb racing, which is his favorite type of racing because of the intense challenge. When not racing, Colton can be found riding his dirt bike or camping, hunting, and fishing with family and friends.

Kyle started racing when he was twelve after watching his brother race. He has loved it ever since, and now races as part of Team LeVallee. He rides for the pure enjoyment he gets out of it because there is nothing like getting on your sled in the winter and being free. Racing has changed his life through all of the great experiences he has had: meeting fans, seeing younger riders that look up to racers, the places he’s visited, and the knowledge gained from other riders. He plans to keep racing for as long as he can and getting better at every aspect of the sport.

Zak started racing when he was five, when he won third place, and has been in love with the sport ever since. In addition to racing, he rides trail sleds because he enjoys getting out on the trails and mixing up his riding. Racing is the most fun to him though because he loves to battle guys on the track. The people he has met in the industry feel like family, and racing has molded him into the person he is today by teaching him serious work ethic. His plans for the future include getting better on and off the track to make his way into the pro class. Zak likes to ride dirt bikes, jet skis, mountain bikes, and anything else that can bring him some fun in his free time. He also enjoys eating onions the way most people eat apples.

Nickolas first started riding and racing dirt bikes because his uncle and cousin raced dirt bikes and his dad rode dirt bikes when he was younger. His dad’s trail sleds interested him as well, and Nickolas started racing snocross thank to his dad’s friend’s kids participating in the sport. Snowmobiling has taught him dedication and that a positive attitude will take you a long way in life. In the future, he would like to earn some Pro Lite wins and hopefully a Pro Lite Championship and then move up to Pro.

With a snowmobile racer for a father, it’s no surprise that Carson began racing at just four years old. He continues to race because he is competitive and enjoys working hard to achieve his goals. Snowmobiling is all he usually thinks about and he has met some of his best friends through this sport. His favorite track is Lake Geneva and he most admires Ross Martin because of his success and strong work ethic. When not on a sled, Carson can usually be found riding dirt bikes, road bikes or jet skis and hanging out with friends.

Corin’s father introduced him to snowmobile racing when he was only three years old and it’s only been uphill for the twenty one years since then. He is grateful for his father’s continued inspiration and support. Snowmobiling has sculpted his life, especially with all of the great people within the industry. He plans to continue to always been involved with the sport as an enthusiast after racing. His residential construction business takes up most of his time in the summer, but when he does get away he enjoys relaxing at the lake with friends.

Petter began racing in 2005 after following in the footsteps of his dad and his dad’s friends. While he struggled in the first few years of racing, his hard work and dedication began to pay off. As he won race after race in Sweden, he set his sights on racing in the US. This past season was his first season racing in the US.

Evan started racing at 13 after many years of watching Levi LaVallee. He races because of the adrenaline rush and fierce competition, to put on a show for fans, and the opportunity to share his faith. Snocross has helped him grow as a person by teaching him to be confident yet humble, to have faith when things don’t go the way he planned, and the importance of putting your whole heart into something. Levi LaVallee has been an irreplaceable mentor to Evan because of his attitude toward fans and his confidence as he approaches each situation. Evan plans to compete for as long as he can. Then, he would like to become a speaker to share his story of how God has worked in his life and encourage others in their faith. He also likes to ride dirt bikes and hang out with friends. He also loves to wrote poetry and has a severe chocolate milk addiction.

Once while trail riding with his dad, Jake watched the Eagle River derby race and wanted to give it a try. The next winter he bought a sled and started racing. He loves racing because of the adrenaline rush and the feeling it gives him that he can’t get elsewhere. Competing at a professional level is a dream come true for him, and he has met so many people along the way who have taught him important life lessons. As long as he is having fun and is healthy, he plans to race snocross for as long as he can. Jake spends as much time up north and outside as he can, and he used to play drums in a band.

When Kody started riding snowmobiles, he had no idea that he was good enough to complete. But after winning at his first ISOC race, his dad took him to the rest of the races during that ISOC season as well as few Wisconsin regionals on off weekends. Snowmobile racing has made him who is his today. His future plans are to continue racing and winning. In his spare time, Kody can be found mountain bike riding in the woods.

Adam began riding snowmobiles after he received one as a Christmas present from his dad. He currently races because it is his favorite thing to do. Snowmobiling has changed his life by helping him accomplish many things and make life long friends. The people he meets are his favorite part of the sport. He is part of the local 139 operating engineers and loves running heavy equipment. In his free time, he goes to the lake to waterski, tube and flyboard.

Dave’s parents took him racing after they noticed that he rode every sled he could during every chance he got. He rides because he loves it, especially the competitiveness. Snowmobiling has changed his life because it has allowed him to meet so many great people and travel to fantastic places over the years. His future plans are to win many more races as well as his first Pro championship and to stay competitive in the ISOC series. In his free time, Dave likes to ride his jet ski and motocross.

Elina began racing at age fifteen, after her father finally convinced her to start racing. She didn’t want to race with boys at first, but after that initial race she was hooked. She now races the biggest circuit for women in snocross. When she isn’t racing snowmobiles, she loves spending time with her French Bulldog named Rut, be at the gym, or ride her dirt bike.

A snowmobile rider since age 2, Jay started racing when he was 13. He raced a full year in cross country before trying snocross. He loves the thrill and the competition and has always wanted to be a racer. Snowmobiling has given him a drive to succeed and taught him how to set a goal and reach for it. He most admires Blair Morgan because of his great dedication and contribution to the sport of snocross. When not racing, Jay can be found hunting, fishing, and riding his dirt bike.

Mitchell began racing because his dad also raced. He now rides and races because he enjoys it and thinks there is nothing better than racing under the lights in front of thousands of fans. Racing changed his life by introducing him to friends who have become like family. It has also brought his own family closer together. He admires all fellow racers because of their skill and determination. When not racing, Mitchell rides dirt bikes and jet skis, hunts, fishes, and plays baseball.

Cole originally raced dirt bikes for two years at a young age before transitioning to skateboarding and snowmobiling. At age 12, he knew he wanted to race snocross but it took several years of convincing his parents before he could race. Since then, his family has been all in. He still races dirt bikes in his spare time.

Evan comes from a family of snocross racers (his dad, uncles, and cousin) and started racing when he was four years old. He enjoys the speed and competition. The junior classes are incredibly competitive and those podiums require a lot of hard work and a little luck. He likes that it all comes down to performance but also feels fortunate to have met so many great people on the circuit. In his free time he rides dirt bikes, races motocross, spends time at the lake, goes wake surfing and jetskiing, and plays basketball. He also stays busy with an after school job.

To put it simply – Alex loves snowmobiles and riding and wrenching have become his way of life. His mother put him on a snowmobile when he was nine months old, and he hasn’t stopped riding since. His father put a wrench in his hand and taught him the mechanical side of the sport early on. Racing always interested him so he hung around the Bunke Racing trailer to learn more before finally buying a used racing sled at Hay Days to give it a try. He has now been racing for the past five years. When not racing, Alex is a Powertrain Development Engineer for Polaris in his hometown of Roseau, MN.

Andrew has raced snocross for 21 years. He loves racing and pushing his snowmobile to the edge. His favorite part of racing is that while it takes a good team and a good sled to be successful, as soon as the green flag flies it is completely up to the rider to perform. There is no better feeling than being confident in your equipment, pushing it as hard as you can, and having a snowmobile that soaks up everything thrown at it.

Evan started racing after he had a great time during pre-rides when his friend raced. He was excited to be able to ride more through racing. He grew up riding snowmobiles with his dad, and snowmobiling has changed his life through great friends that have lots of fun together. He most admires Gabe Bunke not only because he is a good racer, but because he also helps everyone at the track. Evan wants to become a better racer and turn pro before becoming an engineer at Polaris. When not riding, he is hunting, fishing, dirt biking, jet skiing, or spending time with family and friends.

Continuing in the footsteps of his father, Gabe has been racing snowmobiles for most of his life. He grew up in Roseau, MN and couldn’t get enough of cross country racing on laketops and ditches before joining the race team in 1996. He is grateful for the awesome experience of both racing and meeting fans. He most admires the pioneers that had the vision to be able to travel over snow in a different way with snowmobiles. His love of the sport is something he has passed down to his kids and it has become their family lifestyle. They look forward to riding every year.

When not on the race track of working on snowmobiles, Taylor likes to be outside fishing, water skiing, hunting or mountain bike riding. Racing has always been a family sport, and he has had guidance from his dad, Gabe Bunke, and grandfather, Jerry Bunke, as well as some of the other best racers and crew the sport offers. He races for the satisfaction of knowing that for every race, the countless hours of dialing in machines and being physically ready do not go to waste and that everything being learned in the field is being applied to consumer sleds. He enjoys giving back by helping the sport continually grow for the future. He plans to continue competing in the cross country and endurance circuits and also graduate from college with an engineering degree to continue to better snowmobiles.

For Andy and his family, winters have always revolved around snowmobiling. He began riding as a child, and his favorite aspect is that it’s a sport the entire family can be involved in and enjoy. He plans to race for the foreseeable future and hopes to contend for wins in the USXC Pro class. When he’s not on a sled, Andy spends time playing indoor volleyball in the winter and outdoor volleyball in the summer.

Jill would be happiest if there was snow around all year. She rode for most of her life, had an itch to try racing, and decided to give it a try with her trail sled. She studded it, duct taped some numbers on, threw on a tether and was hooked after just one race. Having a competitive and adventurous side, racing sleds allows her to enjoy her passion while pushing herself harder to improve her skills. She loves the connections she has made through snowmobiling with others who enjoy snowmobiling. Racing has also taught her how to be a mechanic and tweak things for her riding style and the race conditions. When not on her sled, she likes to ride and race her dirt bike, play volleyball, and do anything that lets her be outside including hiking, biking, camping, or being at the lake.

Ryan’s dad entered him into his first snowmobile race when he was 12 and he has been racing every winter since. While racing requires countless hours in the shop, it is all worth it for the rush and adrenaline he gets when the green flag drops. Through the years of racing, he has met many sledheads just like him, who are always willing to help. When he isn’t riding or working on snowmobiles, he spends his time hunting, fishing, riding dirt bikes, and raising chickens.

Travis started racing at age twelve following the example set by his dad, Terry, and older brother, Ryan. In the off season, he enjoys spending time on the lake and riding motorcycles. Travis’s goals for this upcoming winter season include being competitive in the Pro classes and winning the SOO I-500.

Blaine has been racing since he was three years old and it has shaped him into who he is today. He has met most of his close friends through racing and they eat, sleep, and breathe snowmobiles year round. His future plans include much more snowmobile racing (hopefully!), and he would also like to run the Soo one day or try a traditional sprint car too. His family has a small farm in Northern Minnesota that he has a blast working on. Blaine also enjoys mountain biking in places he’s never ridden before and spending time at the lake.

Joey was first introduced to snowmobile racing when his cousin Shane Felegy asked him to be part of his 2004 factory oval team. Shane broke his neck, and Joey received a full factory team with the support of Shane’s crew and sponsors. He finished his first racing year with many wins and year end point championships. From there, he moved on to the pro-stock class where he and Shane competed as teammates. His first season of champ racing he won every feature and made front row for the Eagle River World Championship. Since 2010, he has been competing in the pro-champ class.

Dustin has been racing since March 2000 on the day his father stopped racing. He started racing because he grew up in Northern Minnesota surrounded by people with a deep history with and strong love of the sport. Many people he grew up around have helped make snowmobiling what it is today. As he grows older, he knows his racing days may be getting fewer, but he plans to continue for as long as he can and as long as it is fun. He is looking forward to winter coming and chasing after the TLR Cup. During the summer months, he is consumed by racing his dirt modified but does try to make time for fishing and hunting as well.

Racing is part of Jordan’s family life, and he grew up knowing he wanted to race. While he doesn’t enjoy cold weather, he loves the adrenaline rush of crossing the finish line before everyone else. Snowmobiling has helped him see the world and meet new people. He most admires his Grandpa Durmont because of all the effort he put into progressing the sport of snowmobiling. He plans to race for many more years. When not racing, Jordan likes to work on and race his dirt modified, play with his dog, and go hunting.

Nick began racing at age four. He races because of the freedom he feels on a sled. Snowmobiling has changed his outlook on life in the sense that life is too short to not chase your goals and dreams. He has learned to set achievable goals, meet them, and then set new goals that are harder and require more determination and keep repeating that sequence. Nick most admires his dad for all he has done for him. They are a team now, but it started with just the two of them back in the day. He has taught Nick everything from fabrication to life lessons. Most of all, Nick appreciates that he gets to spend so much time together; he can’t put a price on that. He plans to charge hard and go after as many World Championships and TLR Cup Tour wins as possible. In his free time, Nick enjoys taking care of his hobby farm, hunting, fishing, and automotive painting. He also is interested in WWII history and military history.

Todd is a lifelong Alaskan who enjoys sharing his snowmobile passion with his family. He started his Iron Dog career at twenty two years old and continues to love the challenge of the race and the adventures of racing in remote Alaska. His future plans are to continue racing and to eventually cheer on his own kids as they start their racing careers. When not racing, Todd works as a project manager for his family business, Big Dipper Construction.

After several friends convinced Chris to try snocross racing, he gave it a shot and was immediately hooked. He likes riding and racing because of the freedom of going places you can’t with any other form of transportation. Being with family and friends outdoors is a big part of his life and snowmobiling fits into it well. His plans are to continue to race for as long as it’s fun. He has won eleven Top 5 finishes in the Iron Dog. Besides snowmobiling, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, Ranger riding, dirt bike riding, and camping.

Eric is a life-long Alaskan who began racing 3-wheelers at age 14 rather than snowmobiles. After legislation no longer allowed 3-wheeler manufacturing and the race circuit folded, he needed another racing outlet and snowmobiling was a great fit. He started his Iron Dog career in 1999 and has raced or helped teams to two 1st Place finishes including 2008 with Marc McKenna and 2015 with Scott Faeo. He is an engineer at Sperry Drilling Services and owns a side business, Quam Technologies. When not racing or working, he shares his love of hockey with his son and enjoys fishing, all water sports, dirt biking, and spending time with his family.

Mike Morgan

State: AlaskaRace Sled: Switchback XCR

Mike’s great-grandfather started a Polaris dealership in Alaskan in 1956, and so he grew up around snowmobiles and dreamed of being a racer. He started racing at 14 and continues to ride because of the pure freedom and being able to go anywhere on a snowmobile in the winter time. To him, there’s nothing better than a day full of sunshine, your buddies, and sleds. Racing has taught him to work hard and never give up. It’s also taught him to pay close attention to detail from wrenching and fabricating on the equipment to riding the machines. He loves that the snowmobile industry is a tightknit group of passionate, good folks. He plans to win the 2,000 mile Iron Dog in the future and would also like to race in events down south again. Aside from racing snowmobiles, he enjoys exploring Alaska’s outdoors through mountain biking, hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing. He also raised a pet reindeer.

RJ started racing motocross when he was almost eight. He turned pro in Canada in 2013 and at the same time also started racing Snocross to benefit motocross. He instantly fell in love with snocross. He continues to race because he loves the rush and adrenaline it gives him and the discipline it teaches him. He looks up to Colby Crapo and had the privilege to be his team mate last year. His plans for the future are to keep racing Snobuggys for as long as he can and to have a ton of fun at the same time. In his free time RJ likes to ride his dirt bike or just relax and unwind from a day at work or after riding. He works as a heavy equipment operator for his dad during the summer months.